The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-30
"IONA"-THE SACRED ISLAND.
[FoREIGN CORRESPONDENT oE. |

There is no spot on earth, of same
extent, so fraught with lasting import
ance to both Celt and Anglo Saxon as
Iona. 1t was here that religion and
learning were kept alive and cultivated
when the pail of darkness held its do
minion over nearly the whole of Europe.
OF Iona, DR.. Johnson has recorded /:
1--WE are now treading that illustrious
island which was once the luminary of
the Caledonian regions, whence saw
age clans and rowing barbarians derived
the benefits Of knowledge, and the
blessings of religion. . . That
man is little to be envied whose patri-
otism would not gain force upon the
plain of Marathon, or whose piety would
not grow warmer among the ruins of
Iona"
History of Iona.
Formerly this Island was called the
Isle of the Druids. 1t was the last
retreat Of the Druids in the British Isle,
and here, from time immemorial, they
had their seat of learning.
In the year 563, st. COLUMBIA arrived
at the Island from Ireland, with twelve
companions, and here he established
monastery. His life was an exceedingly
busy one, for he founded 100 monast-
cries, 365 churches, and ordained 5000
Ix1
termed Gillean-De, or servants of God.
On account of ignorance of Gaelic, this
was afterward corrupted by the Anglo
Saxon, into Culdees. These monks
were not celibates, although forbidden
to bring any woman upon the Island
They extended their Christianjzing in
fluence over both Scotland and the CEN
tral and northern parts of England
These monks maintained long strug-
gle against Catholicism, but were finally
dispersed about the year 1900, when the
Benedictine order took possession. For
two centuries Iona remained the supe-
rior of all of those of Scotland, and for
eight centuries swayed half the churches
of Ireland. 1t was during this goodly
period that Ireland was noted by all
Europe to be the seat of learning and
piety, Iona alone ranking above. Dur
ing the reign Of the Culdees, however,
all was not peace and serenity, for oc-
casionally, some of its abbots, tinctured
with Romanism, tried to force these
foreign customs upon his brethren.
But it always resulted in failure. Nor
were the monks free from the horrors
of war. The Morse, pirates descended
upon them in the years SOL, 805, 829,
and in S77. In sos, these pirates, by
slaughter reduced their number to sixty
four. On Christmas eve, 986, many
monks were forced to flee to Ireland.
During these disasters, their library,
one of the finest and most curious in
Europe, and containing about all the
literature of the Highland Scotch, was
destroyed by fire, as was also the monas-
terry in 1853.
Visit to the Island.
On July 4, l was invited by Miss
Guthrie, of London, to come on board
her yacht, the Lurra, and visit this
famous island, as we'll as Staffa. Our
guide first took us to the nunnery, built
about 1908. Some of the walls still
stand, but others are low. The build
ing measures sixty by twenty feet, and
is after the Norman style. The roof has
been vaulted with round arches, having
huted soffits. There are many tOmbs
of progresses within the walls, some of
them exhibiting fine carving. The in
mates followed the rule of st. Angus
tine, were consecrated to st. Oran,
wore the white gown, and over it a
rochet of fine linen. They were per-
mitted to live in community for con-
siderable time after the Reformation.
From the nuunery we next start for
the cathedral, about half mile distant.
We had not proceeded far before we
came to Mac Leans Cross, This is
the Oldest known Christian monument
in Scotland, and dates back to the time
of St. COLUMBIA. It is a monolith,
eleven feet high, hewn out of whir-
stone In design it is different from
any of the other Iona crosses. At the
time of the Reformation there were
$50 beautiful crosses, Of various designs,
but they were demolished by order of
the Synod of Argyle, soon after.
Leaving the cross and walking quite
a distance, we come next to the great
place Of interment for monarchs and
other distinguished dead. Some, how
ever, were buried in thereligi0us houses.
l have counted the names of lis saints,
forty Scottish kings, among them Fer
gus II, and Macbeth; two of Ireland,
three of Norway, and one Of France,
buried within or near this enclosure.
We first come to the tOmbs of the kings.
The next is the row where quite num-
Der of the Warlike chieftains of the
MacLeans are buried. Some Of them,
in Jas relief, represent the figures Of the
warriors, with their armour on. The
next row contains the tombs of the
MacDonalds, the Lords of the Isles.
1t was here where the two MacLean
brothers brought the captured Lord Of